LNP attacks southeast Queensland’s free public transport day as a ‘bribe’

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RAW NEWS: Queenslanders are making the most of a day of free public transport.



parked trains at  Cleveland Station

POPULAR: Free travel for a day.
Source: The Courier-Mail




THE Liberal National Party is crying foul over southeast Queensland’s free public transport day, calling it a $1 million voter “bribe”.


Commuters are riding Translink buses, trains and ferries for free on Wednesday after an electrical fault caused a widespread shutdown of the transport system on Tuesday.

LNP leader Campbell Newman says Labor breached caretaker rules by allowing commuters to have a free day of travel to make up for the chaos.

“The government, in the middle of an election campaign, delivered a $1 million bribe at the time they had been shown up for  20 years of neglect,” he told reporters in Brisbane on Wednesday.

Mr Newman said he wasn’t opposed to the free day itself, but it was a breach of protocol.

Premier Anna Bligh says there was no breach.

“If you go to caretaker provisions, you’ll find that it expressly provides that the normal operational activities of departments should continue,” she said.

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“This decision does not bind the future government. It does not represent a significant contract or a major appointment.”

Commuter groups say Tuesday’s glitch, which left thousands of passengers stranded in the morning peak hour, highlights the need for a second river rail crossing in Brisbane.

The LNP calls Labor’s Cross River Rail project, which is awaiting federal government support, a fantasy.

Mr Newman says a LNP government would accept federal funds, but do it better than Labor.

“We will take any money gratefully from them,” he said. “But we will deliver the outcome more efficiently and economically.

“There are better solutions than blowing $8 billion of taxpayers’ money on a big fantasy project.”

Anna Bligh’s plan to offer free transport after yesterday’s train delay disaster received mixed responses from morning peak-hour commuters.

The free travel offer resulted in overcrowding on public transport during peak hour this morning.

The Courier-Mail website was inundated with complaints about the uncomfortable situations caused by the Premier’s offer.

“From Gympie North and the train I was in was packed, more than normal for the morning train,” one train passenger posted.

“Couldn’t even move, the buses were the same. Thanks Translink for making me miss two lectures in two days!” another commuter said.

“Train is definitely more crowded than usual.”

Queensland Rail said over 65,700 people travel through Central station every day and over half of these people travel during the morning peak hours.

At Central train station commuters were pleased with the free rides but didn’t feel that it compensated for yesterday’s inconvenience.

Commuter Thao Phan said his hour-long train ride from Richlands cost him over $8 and the free pass was “great”.
 
“I didn’t realise it was free until I got to the station but anything free is great,” Mr Phan said.
 
Strathpine resident Suzanne Pollinger said the free transport was a “lovely gesture”.
 
Yesterday her train was only four minutes late as she was travelling out of the city but her husband’s inbound trip to the city had been delayed by an hour and a quarter.
 
‘”It was a bit inconvenient but it’s still cheaper for us to have one car and catch public transport because of petrol prices,” Mrs Pollinger said.
 
At the Riverside ferry stop Carlo Nucifora and his two-year-old son Alex were taking full advantage of the free rides from their Morningside home.
 
“It is good the Government’s giving something back,” Mr Nucifora said.

At train stations commuters were complaining to Queensland Rail staff about today’s free fares not qualifying for the go card frequent user scheme.

Under the scheme commuters can travel for free for the rest of the week after they have accumulated 10 trips.

“Any journeys taken in the free period today won’t count towards the frequent user scheme,” a Translink spokesperson said.

Translink said any customers who were charged with a fixed fare rate yesterday would be automatically refunded on Thursday night.

The refund will be given to registered and unregistered go cards.

For a train tip an adult fixed fare is $10 and $5 for a concession while those travelling on buses may have been charged $5 for an adult fare and $2.50 for a concession in yesterday’s chaos.

“We’re going to refund anyone who got a fixed fare during disruptions on Tuesday morning,” a Translink spokesperson said.

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